JULY 8, 2014

Kolles flags job losses amid Caterham mess

Jobs will be lost after Caterham's change of ownership, new team 'advisor' Colin Kolles has admitted.

"I prefer to have 200 safe jobs than 300 lost jobs," the Romanian, who has appointed former Minardi driver Christijan Albers to front the team now owned by mystery Swiss-Middle Eastern owners, told Reuters.

"Sometimes you have to make unpopular decisions," he insisted.

We reported this week that, during the Silverstone weekend, the logos of 2014 sponsor General Electric were removed from the green livery.

And on race day, the backing by Airbus - a deal clearly brokered by the now-departed aviation entrepreneur Tony Fernandes - was also blacked out.

But Kolles denied that the lights are now steadily going out at Caterham, arguing instead that the former Fernandes administration was in fact "a mess".

Even the contracts in Kamui Kobayashi and Marcus Ericsson's hands are under review.

"In terms of performance we have to look into this. And we are looking into this," said Kolles.

Kolles' German-based motor racing company is apparently still involved in the Romanian project called Forza Rossa, who are hoping to obtain the FIA's green light.

But Romanian-born German Kolles denied Caterham was bought in order to pilfer its assets or perhaps just be rebranded.

"This company (Caterham) has the entry and you cannot transfer this. If that company no longer exists you lose the entry," he said.